“Josefina’s World is the spine for this unit. No other books are required. However, you can find a list of great “extras” for this unit study HERE (literature, paper doll books, cook books, activity books, science books, etc…). I included 3 of the 6 books from the Josefina series in the lessons, but they aren’t necessary or integral to any activities in the unit.It would be AWESOME if you’re going to purchase any of the books (or anything from Amazon), if you could do it through my bookstore (or any links on this page)…there is NO extra charge to you & I get a small portion of the sale which helps keep everything on this blog FREE !!

*Week 1:

*American Girl Josefina Series, Book 1, “Meet Josefina”(There are 6 books in this series, so you could choose how much to read eachweek depending on your child’s level and interests. I just listed one book per week.)

* A history of medicine practiced during frontier America’s history, including folk cures and other interesting practices. Be sure to click on the alphabet letters to see various “diseases” and what was used during this period to treat them. Some of the cures are quite interesting!– http://pioneerswest.com/medicinalremedies.html

* A lovely list of commonly used ingredients and traditional pastries of New Mexico from Cake Spy. The post is from Monday, June 9, 2014, just in case you have trouble finding it.– http://www.cakespy.com/blog/?currentPage=5

* Keep a running list in a notebook of important people, important places, important events, and important ideas. Use these lists later for writing prompts, notebooking, lapbooking, creating a timeline, etc…

* Find whatever outlet that excites your kids!One video featured a girl showing how to create different period hairstyles on her AG doll for example !* Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this unit to see a list of some of the fun crafts, cooking activities, & other creative ideas!

*Language Arts/Grammar Ideas-

* You may choose to use your regular grammar curriculum, add just a few of the ideas below into the mix, or use all the ideas below. Isn’t homeschooling wonderful sometimes?

*Vocabulary ideas-

*Choose any list of vocabulary you’d like to use for this unit. I have included a brief list for each week from the core reading.

*It might also be fun to include many of the spanish words that you will find in the reading, songs, etc that we have been studying. If you already speak Spanish, maybe you could focus on common modern English words with origins from this period.

*Or you can use my lists that are taken from each week’s core reading.If your child is old enough to be proficient in using a computer, it might be a fun activity to include copy & pasted images along with some of the particularly “foreign” words. (ex. fandango, mesas, rebozos, etc…)

*Vocabulary Lists:

*Week 1:

1. tia 2. revolt 3. adobe 4. fortress 5. frontier

6. orchards 7. altar 8. drought 9. baptize 10. propose

*Week 2:1. finery 2. sarape 3. fandango 4. yucca 5. inoculation

6. expedition 7. saint 8. rely 9. minerals 10. raw materials

*Week 3:1. pueblos 2. captive 3. caravan 4. bandits 5. plaza

6. trailhead 7. plains 8. traders 9. pelts 10. destiny

*Copy Work/Narration ideas-

*Week 1:* Page 6 of “Welcome to Josefina’s World” is a lovely description of the “Land of Enchantment” and would be a nice page and addition to your notebook if you are making one for this unit.

* It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish ! Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.

* It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish ! Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.

* It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish ! Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.

* We learned about worshiping God through His creation in this week’s Bible study. You might like to copy some of the words to some hymns that were part of that lesson.

How Great Thou ArtWhen through the woods and forest glades I wanderAnd hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;When I look down from lofty mountain grandeurAnd hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee; How great Thou art!How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

**OR…

* Choose your favorite passage from some of this week’s reading.

* Choose an author that was popular during this period & incorporate them into the unit (copy work, timeline, writing prompts, etc…). Be sure to add them to your notebook!

* You could also choose a sentence, or photocopy a page of the reading.Depending on what skill you want to emphasize, have your child diagram a few sentences, or find all the verbs, nouns, etc…, or whatever grammar skill needs work.

*Writing-

*Try coming up with your own traveling “snake oil” show. Invent some of your own “cures” for common ailments. Create a brouchure, then call the people around for the traveling medicine show!This idea would work well withweek 2 study.

* This idea would work well with week 3 study: After reading the poem “The Santa Fe Trail”, try writing your own poem about some aspect of this week’s study.– https://archive.org/details/santfetrailandot00wilsrich (pg. 12-13)ORTry writing your own cowboy campfire song to calm the cows & keep the coyotes at bay! (Goes well with week 2 )

* Research a missionary that lived among the people of the 1800’s Southwest, and write entries in a journal describing your travels into Indian territory to “convert” the natives. Tell of your hardships, experiences with the natives, founding and living in a mission, and other important facts about your life as a missionary. Explore and write about what you are feeling…what you are thinking…what you are seeing…etc… Paint a picture in words ! This would work well with week 2study.

* Here are a few ideas from More2Explore which would work well with week 3study:– Write A Santa Fe Trail Journal.Pretend that you are part of a wagon train headed for Santa Fe with a load of goods. Create a journal of your imagined experiences for at least two weeks of the journey. Use the website information to make your entries as historically accurate as possible. You can also include sketches.-What Is The Best Way To Retrace The Santa Fe Trail?Map out your pathway. Plan your rest stops, select your mode of transportation, and calculate what supplies you will need. Estimate how much time your journey will take and itemize your extimated costs. Decide between the northern Mountain Fork or the Cimarron Cutoff. Your goal should be to make the most economical trip possible and still arrive safely, comfortably, and rested.

– Also, you may make up some broad prompts from any topic from our studies so far…

*Bible Ideas:

*Week 1: Worship- Remembering God

*Reading-

Josefina’s life was filled with daily reminders of her faith. Faith in, and the worship of God were very important in her culture. Most often, at the center of small southwestern villages (la plaza) such as Josefina’s, was the community church. The people of the town gathered there for many occasions. It was a central part of the people’s lives. Everywhere were symbols of faith and reverence. Art, jewlery, pottery, blankets, and even every day items used by the families were designed to be constant reminders of their adoration for God. Special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, and holidays were celebrated with great parties (fiestas) showing the people’s joy and thanksgiving to God. Josefina’s world in the pioneer days of the American Southwest, was often difficult and dangerous. These traditions and everyday reminders gave the people comfort and strength when times were hard. In our reading we learn that Josefina kept a ” box of remembrance” of some special things that had belonged to her mama. She took it out when she needed to feel close to her mom and when she wanted to remember her better. She felt hopeful after doing it. This week our Bible lesson is about worship. One way we can worship God is by remembering who He is and all the great things He has done.I hope this will help you to feel happy and very loved this week! 🙂

* Can you think of some ways that God’s people have worshipped Him by remembering who He is and what He has done ? Here’s a few ideas…there’s LOTS more!– by making a pile of stones (Joshua 4: 1-7; 21-24)– by celebrating festivals (Exodus 12: 14;17)– by dancing, singing, & playing musical instruments (Exodus 15: 20-21)– by writing songs & poems (Psalm 77: 10-20 )– by sharing a meal (Luke 22: 7-8; 14-20)

* What are some ways that God’s people worship Him (by remembering what He has done) in our culture today?Here’s just a few ideas to get you thinking…– by reading the Bible (full of encouraging stories of God’s faithfulness)– by singing songs and writing poetry and music, and creating pieces of art– by gathering together with other people who love Jesus– by celebrating special days of remembrance such as Christmas or Easter, etc…

* Do you have any personal “Jordan stones” that are reminders to you of a time when you remember God’s presence, or help, or comfort in a hard situation?

* I made a board of photos of some of my “Jordan Stones”. I made it so that every time I walk past and see it, I will be reminded that God is always with me. He has blessed our family so much, but sometimes life is hard. So when I am feeling sad, or lonely, or discouraged, I can look at these pictures and remember that He has been and is always with me.

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! ” ~Psalm 98:1

*Activities-

* Make a “memory box” like Josefina kept to remind herself of her mama. You could write your “remembrances” on strips of paper or some smooth stones; or you might like to add small items that will remind you to give thanks to God.Here is an example of one that I found online. It was made using the American Girl Doll kit. If you don’t care to purchase a kit, you could easily find things you already have to do this activity or buy something from your local craft store.– http://dolldiaries.com/american-girl-crafts-josefinas-painted-memory-box-review/

* Journaling-Try writing your own song or poem of remembrance. Perhaps you could add this to your memory box if you made one….Or, you might like to put it in a frame so you will be able to think of it often. Share it with someone!

* Songs & Dancing-Turn on some music! Grab a musical instrument if you play one….or even a pot lid and a metal spoon. Sounds silly, I know, but try it! Focus on praising God & not on how silly you look. 🙂–– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBX3S3STVB0(Just for fun! A young man teaches how to sing “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy” in Spanish. 🙂 )

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfy51JPvbRM(“En Los Montes, En Los Valles”, a worship song in Spanish. This was so much fun to watch & be a part of when we lived in South America. One of my favorites!Here are the lyrics in Spanish so you can try to sing along if Spanish isn’t your first language…It’s FAST! 🙂– http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/marcos_witt/en_los_montes_en_los_valles-lyrics-962061.htmlHere is a rough translation in English-In the mountains, in the valleys,we exalt him that is worthy of praise.In the coasts of the seas, we raise a sound of hope.We acclaim, we acclaim,We listen to hear the voice of your praise.With our hands held high we exalt him who reigns forever.Let us go up to worship at Mount Zion, it is the joy of all the nations.Where sadness is joy, weeping is happiness.Let us go up to worship the great king.

*Week 2: Worship- Celebrating Together

*Reading-

* You may like to re-read pg. 34-35 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” for a nice intro to this week’s lesson.

* The community of settlers in Josefina’s town were a very close group of people. Every family worked hard independently and together to survive in the new frontier. The community was a very important part of everyone’s life. Last week we talked about ways that Josefina (and other people throughout history) worshipped God by remembering. This week we will learn about another way.Celebrations, or fiestas, were something Josefina and her community looked forward to with great anticipation. Delicious foods, lively music, dancing, and lots of friends and family gathered all together were a wonderful part of the culture of the southwest. There were parties when babies were born, parties when people got married, even a day to remember and celebrate friends and family members who had died. Josefina’s favorite fiesta was the celebration of Las Posadas, which lasted 9 whole days !!– https://kidworldcitizen.org/las-posadas-christmas-mexico/(simple description of this celebration)– http://www.mommymaestra.com/2010/12/posada-lesson-plans-crafts-activities.html(Mommy Maestra shares a lovely & complete lesson plan including many recipes & fun activities !)– http://nbclatino.com/2012/12/13/resources-for-celebrating-las-posadas-with-your-child/(Short article with lots of links for ideas to celebrate with children)

Last week we learned that we can worship God by remembering all He is and all He has done. Gathering together to celebrate is another way we can worship. Sounds fun, doesn’t it ?!?

*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-

* What does it mean to celebrate ?What are some reasons that make you want to celebrate?What are some things that you celebrate with your family and friends ?

* When something really exciting happens to you, what is the first thing you do ?Do you often want to share the great news with a friend ?

+ I realize the following quote is probably not very interesting to your child, but it was such a revelation to me about worship, that I needed to share it with somebody! 🙂Praise is meant to be shared. Worship in many ways is incomplete without an outward expression or act involving another human being.As CS Lewis was working his way through understanding worship he happened upon a young couple on a park bench watching a sunset. Though he was enjoying the scene very much, they seemed to be enthralled by it, as they commented on it’s beauty to one another. It seemed to him that they were enjoying it all the more because they were sharing together in its beauty.I love the idea and practice of celebrating God, expressing our enjoyment of Him, whether through a lovely conversation with a friend, or through large gatherings of friends and family… both of which were God’s great ideas, of course.Shared praise is something that actually brings us completeness and great joy !Err….right. The quote. hahaThe excerpt is from the book “Reflections on the Psalms” by CS Lewis.“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is;to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch;to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. ”

* Can you think of any examples in the Bible of a celebration ?What/Who were the people celebrating?What did they do to celebrate?Did they have special food, or songs & music, or dancing?Did they tell stories or play games?

* What are some ways you could celebrate God?

*Activities-

* Host a celebration like Las Posadas-Do you remember Josefina’s favorite celebration Las Posadas? Everybody in her village got to take part in this fiesta celebrating the birth of Jesus. Choose a story from the Bible that makes your heart feel full and happy. Pick a story that makes you want to share it with your friends. You can dress up like your favorite characters and act out the story as part of your fiesta. Be sure to include some yummy snacks, colorful decorations, and lively music !

* Camp Out !!!! Enjoying God together-One of the celebrations God gave to His people was called the Feast of Tabernacles.You can read about how this festival and others began in Leviticus 23….Leviticus 23:33-43 is specifically about the Feast of Tabernacles. This week long celebration was one of the most joyous times in the lives of the people of God. There were many ways they celebrated as a community including making luminaries to light the whole town, music and dancing, singing (Psalms 113-118 were believed to be some of the songs traditionally sung), and of course food!! Did you know that Jesus also celebrated this special week? (see John 7:37-38).During this week, the Hebrew people didn’t sleep in their own houses. Instead, the whole community built temporary shelters (like tents) to sleep in all week. This tradition helped them to really focus on God and all the reasons why the week was so special.Set aside a week, a day, or even an afternoon to enjoy God with some people you love. Build a tent of your own. You could camp at a camp ground, in your backyard, or even in your living room. Try to focus on enjoying God with your family and friends during this special time.Here are a few places to read some more about this fiesta !– http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/the-feast-of-tabernacles/

This is a super silly song called “Shakin’ the Lulav”…. I LOVE this! You’ll be singing it all day. 🙂 This is a fun song if you are doing the Feast of Tabernacles activity.– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODQ0pgR64Y

*Week 3: Worship- The Beauty of the Earth

*Reading-

* You may like to re-read pg. 6-7 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” for a nice intro to this week’s lesson.

* Josefina lived in “The Land of Enchantment”. The landscape of New Mexico is known for its beauty. From the enormous snow capped mountains, to the crystal waters of the Rio Grande, to the valleys bursting with waves of wildflowers, and even in the barren deserts, God’s creation is shouting with brilliant colors, wonderful smells, gentle breezes, and the warmth of the sun. The “awesomeness” of the land did not go unappreciated by the people living there. The Native Americans and the early Spanish settlers of the Southwest revered it, wrote about it, sung about it, and looked for the Source of it.

Have you ever thought to worship God by appreciating His creation?

It takes slowing down and really seeing what is around you. I live in Texas. It is very hot here in the summer. I am looking out my window. The ground is dry and cracked…the grass is brown and crunchy, my garden is shriveled, and it hasn’t rained in a month. As a girl from the coast, finding the beauty in my crunchy, brown backyard takes a minute. But it’s there.As I am writing, I’ve been watching a scrawny brown squirrel. He appreciates my withered garden. I’ll even guess that at this moment he is thinking it is quite beautiful. I thought about chasing him away, but then I noticed what he was doing. He has grabbed my one and only tomato off the vine. It is misshapen and still green, but he is holding it in his little hands like he has hit the jackpot. He doesn’t bother to take it home to feast on. See, what I thought was rather ugly and useless, he has found to be an absolutely wonderful treat! I imagine that with the drought of this summer, that juicy, green tomato tastes pretty good to him. 🙂And so I see the lesson in this from the Creator, and I am stirred in my heart to give thanks to God.

“Look at the birds of the air;(or little backyard suburban creatures)…they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.Are you not much more valuable than they?”~ Matthew 6:26

*Related Scriptures for Further Reading-

*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-

Why do you think God took such care to make the place He made for us to live so beautiful?

Have you ever thought that God created the whole earth with us in mind?Can you think of some of the parts of creation and guess why He created them the way He did? (Ex. the moon for quiet light at night)

He created it to provide for us…He created it to remind us of minute of every day of who He is…He created it for us to enjoy…He created it for us to rule and reign over.WOW!!!Those are some reasons to rejoice and praise God!One more way we can worship God is by slowing down, opening our eyes, and SEEING the beauty in God’s creation all around us.

What parts of God’s creation cause you to be amazed?It could be how a tall tree can grow from a tiny seed, or the beauty of towering mountains, or animals, or babies, or the mighty power of a hurricane, or how huge the ocean is, or how many countless stars are in the night sky, or the way God created the human eye to work…

The Native Americans of the Southwest saw these very sights and worshipped them. They were looking for the Source of these amazing things. We know that God Himself made the earth and everything in it.

Do we stop and give Him thanks when we notice the beauty of a sunset or some other lovely part of nature?

What are some ways that nature can remind you to worship the Creator and not the loveliness of the created thing?

*Activities-

* Try keeping a journal (at least for this week) of something in nature that causes you to worship God each day. It could be some amazing fact about life you’re learning about in science…it could be something you saw in your own backyard (like my little squirrel friend). Stop and look around you. Take a moment to think. Now, draw a picture of it, write a little note to yourself, take a photo & tape it in your journal. Be creative. When you are finished, take a few minutes to give thanks to God.

* We have learned about Georgia O’Keeffe this month. She noticed the tiniest details in objects. She appreciated every small part of things. Pick an object that you find lovely. Take the time to examine it closely. Now focus on one small area. Try looking at it under a magnifying glass. Notice the smallest details. See how it is put together. You might like to take a photo of it at up close. If you enjoy painting, use your photo to paint the magnified object as Georgia O’Keeffe was known for doing.“Nobody sees a flower,really — it is so small —we haven’t time,and to see takes time,like to have a friend takes time.”~Georgia O’Keeffe

* Many of the hymns and worship songs we sing refer to the beauty of God’s creation.Take some quiet time to think about one part of creation that makes your heart want to sing. Maybe you could go sit outside on a sunny afternoon…or look up at the moon and stars in the night sky… Write a song if one comes to your mind. If not, maybe you could take the time to choose a few of your favorite songs. Find a quiet place outside and read them aloud…take time to think about the words. If you play an instrument, you could learn to play one! Whatever you choose to do with this activity…PRAISE the Lord for the beauty of His creation!

*Science Ideas:

*Week 1: Wild Weather !

* As you are learning about the desert geography of New Mexico this week, you may be surprised to know how turbulent the weather can be there. There are monsoon type rainstorms that cause flash floods and mud slides, wild fires, tornadoes, and even blizzards in the higher elevations! The settlers in the southwestern United States had many adventures with wild weather !

+ Reading-

* You may like to read pg. 28-29 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” again as an intro to this lesson.

*Week 3: Flowers of the Southwest

* One of the things that reminded Josefina so much of her mama was the primroses that she so loved to grow. Even though much of the area surrounding Josefina’s home was desert, there were plenty of lovely flowers that grew there.What’s your favorite ?

+Reading-

– http://edhelper.com/geography/New_Mexico.htm(This is a lesson based on another book…however, there’s some nice reading & printables included in the lesson that do not require the book. Scroll down to the section entitled “Ancient Peoples” for a nice intro to this unit.)

– http://edhelper.com/geography/New_Mexico.htm(This is the same link as above. Scroll down past the “Ancient Peoples” reading section to find several printable mapping activities related to the people of New Mexico & it’s people )

* Add items studied this week to your diorama(You could add paper dolls this week… make a southwestern family, or perhaps you may like to include some of their “neighbors”… or interesting people they may have met along the trails! Why not add in some of the indigenous animals too?!)

* Make a comparison chart listing the geographic location (North, South,Central, etc…), the indigenous people group, any special landforms found there, wildlife, or anything else you’d like to compare).– http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/6a/be/f7/6abef77b43d0a69dec737529fb12b17d.jpg(Here’s an idea of the type of chart I had in mind, although the columns would be comparing different items & the rows would be each of the National Parks)

*Remember these unit studies are designed so that your family can enjoy themfor FREE anywhere there is internet access ! There are so many wonderful books that you could add to these studies, please by all means use as many as you have access to. 🙂These units could stretch on for months if you’re having fun learning! Remember to check out my favorite books for each of the unit studiesHERE or you can check my Pinterest “EXTRAS” boards for each unit HERE.If you decide to purchase any of these extra books, I would appreciate it greatly if you could click directly from my links. Amazon will pay me a small commission for it, and it will NOT cost you anything additional. This will help keep the rest of my content completely free ! THANKS FRIENDS !!

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